Page 71 of Made for the Marquess (Second Sons of London 4)

Just not himself.

Oh, he would physically give to her. He would strive to make love to her and give her as much pleasure as possible. He just couldn’t let her into his heart. That was a lie. She was already entrenched there. But he could keep an invisible curtain between them. Insist that they have a typicaltonmarriage. He didn’t sense that her aunt and uncle loved one another but they got on well enough and seemed to like one another. That is what he would hope their marriage could be like. That was the example Minta had.

If you didn’t count her parents.

She had told him that the couple was a love match, her mother marrying down the social ladder because of the love she had for Minta’s father. Percy had no idea when the pair might return to England. By the time they did, hopefully Minta would have already given birth to a child or two and that would be where she obtained her happiness from.

He looked at the clock and saw it was time to go to his wife.

His wife . . .

A year ago, he had been an officer in His Majesty’s army, embarking on what he hoped was the final campaign that would defeat Bonaparte for good. Now, he was a ranking peer of thetonand had a wife and estates and so many responsibilities that, even now, they made him dizzy. How his life had changed in such a short amount of time.

This time, Percy cut through all the rooms that connected the marquess’ suite to the marchioness’ suite. As he passed through her bathing chamber, he stopped a moment and inhaled the vanilla that hung in the air. The scent would forever remind him of Minta. He reached the door to her bedchamber and paused, drawing on all the courage he had, and rapped lightly upon it.

She opened the door and he gawked at her, standing there in the filmy night rail, which was almost transparent. Her copper hair fell past her shoulders, almost to her waist. He restrained from touching it. For now. But he planned to plunge his fingers into the thick mass very soon.

Minta gestured for him to enter and closed the door once he had. Her eyes were bright but her movements jittery, giving away how nervous she was.

Taking her hands, he raised them to his lips and tenderly kissed them. That seemed to relax her a bit. He kept hold of one of her hands and led her to a chair. Seating himself, he pulled her onto his lap.

“Oh!”

“I thought we’d sit for a bit, if you don’t mind.”

She swallowed. “No. I don’t mind.”

Percy pulled her to him so that she lay against his chest, his arm about her. She snuggled close and his free hand stroked her unbound hair.

“What have you been told about what happens between a man and a woman?”

She stiffened slightly and he continued smoothing her hair. “That you know what to do and that I should follow your lead.”

He chuckled. “That sounds rather like waltzing,” he observed.

Minta gazed up at him. “I suppose it is. I trusted you in that. I trust you now, Percy.”

He nudged her head back down. “Good. I will do my best in leading you in a new kind of dance.”

Taking his time, he explained to her what to expect so that she wouldn’t worry needlessly, not knowing what was to come next.

“It does hurt a bit when we come together for the first time because I must breach your maidenhood. After that, however, it should be pleasurable for you.”

She nodded and he heard her yawn.

Enjoying the feel of her in his arms, he added with regret, “We can wait if you are overtired, though. I know the last few days have been a whirlwind for you. It might be better if we tried things another time.”

He stood and slipped her from his arms into the chair. As he turned away, she called out to him.

“Stay. I want to be with you.”

Facing her, a surge of desire rushed through him and he returned to her, pulling her to her feet and into his arms.

“Are you sure?”

Minta nodded.

“Then we start with kissing.”

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